Heuchera plant named ‘Gauguin’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of hybrid  Heuchera  named ‘Gauguin’, that is characterized by its compact plant habit with a tight mound of foliage, its leaves that are dark brown-red in color with narrow margins colored yellow-green, its moderate amount of flowering stems, and its light reddish-pink flowers on dark brownish-red flowering stems.

Botanical classification: Heuchera hybrid.

Cultivar designation: ‘Gauguin’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Heucheraof hybrid origin, botanically known as a Heuchera and is hereinafterreferred to by its cultivar name ‘Gauguin’.

The new cultivar was discovered as a chance seedling in a trial field bythe Inventor in Hantay, France in June of 2010. The trial fieldcontained hundreds of cultivars and proprietary seedlings of Heucherafrom the Inventor's breeding program. The exact parentage of ‘Gauguin’is therefore unknown.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished under thedirection of the Inventor by in vitro propagation initiated frommeristem tissue in Rijswijk, The Netherlands in October of 2012. Asexualpropagation of the new cultivar by in vitro propagation and stemcuttings has determined that the characteristics of the new cultivar arestable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent thecharacteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes in combinationdistinguish ‘Gauguin’ as a new and unique cultivar of Heuchera.

-   -   1. ‘Gauguin’ exhibits a compact plant habit with a tight mound        of foliage.    -   2. ‘Gauguin’ exhibits leaves that are dark brown-red in color        with narrow margins colored yellow-green.    -   3. ‘Gauguin’ exhibits a moderate amount of flowering stems.    -   4. ‘Gauguin’ exhibits light reddish-pink flowers on dark        brownish-red flowering stems.        ‘Gauguin’ can be most closely compared to the Heuchera cultivars        ‘Caramel’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,560) and ‘Vulcano’ (U.S. Plant        Pat. No. 25,625). Both are similar to ‘Gauguin’ in foliage        coloration. ‘Caramel’ differs from ‘Gauguin’ in having smaller        leaves that are slightly lighter in color with margins that are        more deeply lobed, and in rarely producing flowering stems.        ‘Vulcano’ differs from ‘Gauguin’ in having a taller plant habit,        in having leaves that are lighter in color with more conspicuous        veins, and in having flowers that are deep pink in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceand distinct characteristics of the new Heuchera. The photographs weretaken of a plant three-years in age as grown outdoors in 23-cmcontainers in Hillegom, The Netherlands.

The photograph in FIG. 1 provides a side view of the plant habit of‘Gauguin’ in bloom.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of the inflorescencesof ‘Gauguin’.

The photograph in FIG. 3 provides a close-up view of the foliage of‘Gauguin’.

The colors in the photographs are as close as possible with the digitalphotography techniques available, the color values cited in the detailedbotanical description accurately describe the colors of the newHeuchera.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of three-year old plants of thenew cultivar as grown outdoors in Hillegom, The Netherlands. Thephenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environmental,climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not been tested under allpossible environmental conditions. The color determination is inaccordance with The 2007 R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal HorticulturalSociety, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinarydictionary significance are used.

-   General description:    -   -   Blooming period.—An average of 4 weeks from late spring into            summer in The Netherlands.        -   Plant type.—Herbaceous perennial.        -   Plant habit.—Compact plant habit with a tight mound of            foliage.        -   Height and spread.—An average of 50 cm in height (including            inflorescences) and 55 cm in width on a three year-old            plant.        -   Hardiness.—At least in U.S.D.A. Zones 3 to 9.        -   Diseases and pests.—Not more susceptible to pests and            diseases than other Heuchera cultivars.        -   Root description.—Fibrous roots on woody rootstalks.        -   Propagation.—In vitro propagation and stem cuttings.        -   Growth rate.—Moderate.-   Stem description (peduncle, flowering stem):    -   -   Shape.—Round.        -   Stem color.—183A to 183B with base 177B to 177C.        -   Stem size.—Primary; an average of 2 mm in diameter and 55.1            cm in length (16.4 cm from base to the apex of            inflorescence, secondary; an average of 0.75 mm in diameter            and 1.7 cm in length.        -   Stem strength.—Moderate.        -   Stem aspect.—Average angle of primary peduncle; 80°            (horizontal=0°), average angle of secondary peduncles; 85°            to primary peduncle (=0°).        -   Stem surface.—Densely covered with very short hairs, an            average of 1 mm in length, NN155D in color.        -   Stem number.—Average of 20 flowering stems.        -   Branching habit.—Flowering stems emerge from basal rosette.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Leaf shape.—Broad ovate, seven lobed, middle lobe is longer            than lateral lobes.        -   Leaf division.—Simple.        -   Leaf base.—Hastate, lobes free.        -   Leaf apex.—Acute.        -   Leaf venation.—Laciniate, color; upper surface 150C to 150D            with tertiary veins 200A and lower surface 144D, lower            surface main and secondary veins moderately covered with            very short hairs an average of 0.5 mm in length and N155B to            N155D in color.        -   Leaf margins.—Lobed with average of 7 lobes per leaf, very            shallow lobe depth, lobe margins crenate and very weakly            undulate, moderately covered with very short hairs an            average of 0.5 mm in length and N155B to N155D in color.        -   Leaf attachment.—Petiolate.        -   Leaf arrangement.—Alternate in basal rosettes.        -   Leaf orientation.—Typically nearly perpendicular to petiole            and slightly cupped down.        -   Leaf surface.—Upper surface; dull, velvety, occasionally            glaucescent, and moderately covered with very short hairs an            average of 0.5 mm in length and N155B to N155D in color,            lower surface; moderately glossy.        -   Leaf color.—In the spring and early summer, young leaves            upper surface; 166A to 166B with narrow margins N144A to            N144B and lower surface; 176B with narrow margins 144B,            mature and fall leaves upper surface; 166A with very narrow            margins N144B, mature and fall leaves lower surface; a blend            between 176B and 177A with very narrow margins 162A, color            darkens to primarily 177A in the late summer and fall.        -   Leaf size.—An average of 10.4 cm in length and 9.3 cm in            width.        -   Leaf quantity.—An average of 13 per basal rosette.        -   Petioles.—An average of 17.3 cm in length and 3 mm in            diameter, color; 144C strongly suffused with 176A to 176B,            especially towards the base, surface; densely covered with            very short soft hairs an average of 1 mm in length and            NN155D in color.        -   Stipules.—Small leafy stipules at the base of each leaf,            narrow acute apex, an average of 1.7 cm in length and 2.5 mm            in width, color; NN155C with apex 145C to 145D.-   Flower description:    -   -   Inflorescence type.—Numerous small bell-shaped flowers            arranged on compound spikes on peduncles emerging from the            base of the rosette.        -   Inflorescence size.—An average of 16.4 cm in height and 5.3            cm in width.        -   Inflorescence number.—An average of 75 in a 23-cm container.        -   Flower fragrance.—None.        -   Flower quantity.—Average of 60 flowers per flowering stem.        -   Flower lastingness.—Average of one week.        -   Flower buds.—Oblong to elliptic in shape, an average of 5 mm            in diameter and 2 mm in diameter, 53C with tips 53A in            color.        -   Flower aspect.—Outwards to drooping downwards.        -   Flower type.—Single, campanulate.        -   Flower size.—About 7 mm in length and 6 mm in diameter.        -   Petals.—About 5, rotate arrangement and implanted in the            hypanthium at base, oblanceolate in shape, margin is entire,            apex is acute, upper and lower surface is dull and glabrous,            color of upper and lower surface when opening 65C, color of            upper and lower surface when fully open 65A, an average of 4            mm in length and 1 mm in width.        -   Calyx.—Campanulate, sepals fused to hypanthium, 7 mm in            length and 6 mm diameter.        -   Sepals.—An average of 5, fused into campanulate hypanthium,            elliptic in shape, an average of 7 mm in length and 2 mm in            width, margin is entire and fused into hypanthium, acute            apex, fused base, color; immature upper and lower surface;            53C suffused with 53A towards the top, mature upper surface;            59D suffused with 59A towards the top and lower surface; 59C            suffused with 59A towards the top, upper and lower surfaces            are dull and densely covered with very short glandular hairs            an average of 0.1 mm in length and matched to the sepals in            color.        -   Pedicels.—An average of 2 mm in length and 0.5 mm in            diameter, 183A in color, moderate strength, average angle of            main flower pedicel 0° (0°=horizontal), average angle of            secondary flower pedicels 30° to main pedicel.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Gynoecium.—An average of 2 pistils, 4 mm in length, stigma;            pointed in shape, 145D in color, style; an average of 3.5 mm            in length and 145D in color, ovary; 150B in color.        -   Androcoecium.—An average of 5 stamens, anthers; ovate in            shape, about 0.5 mm in length and 53A in color, filament;            2.5 mm in length and NN155C to NN155D in color, pollen; none            detected.        -   Seed/fruit.—No fruit or seeds were observed.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Heuchera plant named‘Gauguin’ as herein illustrated and described.